David Hughes is the Daily Telegraph's chief leader writer. He has been covering British politics for 30 years.

John Prescott is as crude as ever

One of the unalloyed pleasures of Tony Blair's departure from politics was that out with him went John Prescott.

John Prescott is back – along with his trademark gauche behaviour

No longer in British public life would we have to suffer the embarrassment of a deputy prime minister, no less, who brawled in the gutter, claimed droite de seigneur with a diary secretary and proceeded through his undistinguished ministerial career with all the puffed-up pomposity he could muster – which was considerable.

Alas, it was too good to last. Prezza is back, with a vengeance. He has put himself at the head of Labour's "Go 4th"campaign which is dedicated to securing a fourth Labour term in 2010. At the party conference in Manchester last month he was busy handing round Go 4th stickers to unsuspecting passers-by.

Is it too much to hope that shorn of his front bench responsibilities and one of his Jags, a new, more humble, more dignified Prezza has emerged? Yes, afraid it is.

As this demonstrates he is the same old crude bruiser, flicking V-signs with all the panache of a teenage football hooligan.

In language he might be familiar with, why doesn't he just Go 4th and multiply?